Tech Council Meeting on 11/17/11

• Welcome and Burning Issues/Questions
• Federal Tech Updates
  • Debrief of 21st Century Learning Conference and Next Steps
  • EETT Sunset - ending 9/3011
    • No other funding available
    • ATTAIN, the reauthorization of NCLB (AKA the Elementary and Secondary Education Act) possibly discussed after next presidential election
  • Grant funding is bleak
• State Updates
  • No one is advocating for technology at SDE since Josiah Hills left
  • Someone from DOIT will be looking at the infrastructure at the tech plans so he can coordinate school resources with CEN
• State Testing
  • Connecticut is part of Smarter Balanced Consortium along with about 40 other states.
  • Smarter Balance Assessment designing the new state assessment that should go live in 2013-2014.Skepticism about the timeline.
  • 12 week window
  • Grades 3-8 and grade 11 will be tested.
  • Is this an additional test? Will the students have two assessments?
• New England Comprehensive Center
  • Many offerings for education
  • Have a specific offering for Board of Education members
  • http://www.necomprehensivecenter.org/
• EASTCONN Tech Planning
  • The CT State Tech Plan was submitted to CSDE in November of 2010. It was developed by a group of educators identified by the RESCs with ACES taking the lead. Unfortunately, since Karen had left and her replacement had not been hired, it has gotten stuck in the bowels of the bureaucracy. It should have been approved a year ago by the State Board of Education but it has not yet been approved.
  • Districts are concerned that if CT doesn't have a Board-approved state tech plan that this may affect districts who are applying for e-rate funding.
  • The DRAFT of the Tech Plan Template is posted on the EASTCONN Tech Council Wiki at: http://eastconntechcouncil.wikispaces.com/TechPlan. As of now, district tech plans need to be submitted to your local RESC by March 9, 2010 but it does not have to be Board approved at that point in time.
    Since the Tech Plan Template was submitted to CSDE in August but has not yet finished their Forms Review process, the timelines may change.
  • The review process is --> District submits revised Tech Plan to their local RESC --> RESC checks for completeness, completes Tech Plan Review Sheet, and compiles on spreadsheet the LEA profile --> RESC returns Tech Plan and Tech Plan Review Sheet to district with comments for any revisions that may be needed --> If revisions are needed, district makes any needed revisions and re-submits to RESC
  • When your Board approves it, the state will know it is complete
  • Professional Development -- anything the district offers certified educators and administrators
  • List membership of Tech Planning Committee -- goal is for a broad representation
  • Include a vision statement
  • Needs assessment links are available under Tech Planning Resources. Jane linked to the RESC TECH survey. If you need the password, leave Jane a voicemail at 860-455-1510. If you do it for your district, Jane will send you the results.
  • Questions?
    • Online Assessments - If you have a lab of 25 computers in a lab, you could have (for example) 50% of the 4th grade students can take it on a day and fill in the same similarly. Jane said to answer as if the grades wouldn't take the test at the same time. Make sure the state knows your computer platform too.
    • If it's not a dial-up connection, it's considered high speed.
• Tech Planning Resources
• Other???
  • Filtering! What should be, could be filtered?
    • Plainfield bought own and have different access rights for admins, teachers and students.
    • Takes time for technician to learn how to open sites. Norwich uses LAN School and they love it! Teachers can monitor (only) for free.
    • ITALC is a free system (Windows platform) that Windham and Mansfield Middle uses.